Electric sterilizer for liquids.



M. HOWARD. BLEGTMG STBRILIZBR POR LIQUDs.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23,1912.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

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MENTOR HOWARD, OF COR/VALLES, OREGON.

ELE.CTRICv `S'IERILIZER FOR LIQUDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Application filed May 23, 1912. Serial No. 699,314.

To all whom t may concern:

B e it known that I, MENTOR HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corvallis, in the county of Benton and State' of Oregon, have invented certain new and -useful Improvements in Electric Sterilizers4 for Liquids, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sterilizing devices, and particularly to an electric sterilizer designed for sterilizing water or other liquids.

The prime object of my invention is the provision of a. very simple and effective device whereby7 a stream of water may be electrically sterilized and rendered more fit for drinking purposes, and a further object in this connection ,is to provide a sterilizer which is adapted to be applied to a faucet so that all water passing through the faucet will be submitted to an electrical action for the purpose described.

A further object is to provide means in connection with the faucet attachment just referred to whereby the water may be tilterd as well as sterilized. Thus water may be used at any time wit-hout danger.

A further'object is to provide a device which will take the place to some extent of the ordinary faucet filter and yet attain the same end of purifying the water, and which will permit the water to passthrough quickly instead of impeding the passage of the water as ordinary filters do.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention applied to a faucet. Fig. 2 is a side view of a faucet with my sterilizing attachment applied thereto, the sterilizer being in longitudinal section, a battery being shown diagrammatically. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of one of the conductors and the terminals thereof.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to these figures, 2 designates a duct of non-conducting material, preferably glass. Passing into this tube at one point in its diameter is a conducting wire 3.

This wire 3 extends downward wit-hin the` tube, along the side of the sameito a point preferably slightly less than the middle of the tube and is provided with a number of terminals arranged in stepped relation desig nated 1, 5 and 6. The terminal 6, which is the lowest terminal, is relatively large and nearly fills the diameter of the tube. The terminal 5 is less in area than the terminal 6, and the terminal 4t is less in area than the terminal 5. All of these terminals or steps are preferably laterally curved so as to hold the water to some extent.

Passing down from the upper end of the .tube at a point in the diameter of the tube opposite the wire 3 is a wire 7 or other conductor. This wire or conductor 7 extends down through the tube 2 beyond the terminal 6 and is provided with the relatively small terminal 8, a relatively larger terminal 9, and the lowermost terminal 10 which is larger than the terminal 9. These three terminals 8, 9 and 10 form a series of steps down which the water will fall, and it will be seen that they are reversely placed to the terminals 4, 5 and 6 so as to project beneath these terminals.

Preferably there is interposed between the terminal 6 and the terminal 8 and disposed in the middle of the tube a short tubular sleeve 11 which forms an insulating spacer separating the terminal 6 from the terminal 8 and insulating the same from each other until water fills the tube or trickles down from the terminal 6 to the terminal 8. Preferably the wire 7 passes down between this tubular sleeve 11 and the adjacent portion of the tube 2. Thus the tubular sleeve 11 holds the wire 7 close against t-he inner face of the tube 2 and prevents the wire 7 from bulging outward and striking the terminal 6 and thus establishing communication between the wires 3 and 7. A filter is preferably supported across the lower end of thetube 2. l

The tube 2 is inclosed within a metallic Vcasing designated 12 which has screw attached to the casing l2, it is preferably made so that it may be reversed in position within the cap 13.

fliny suitable means may be used for connecting the tube 2 to the faucet 15 but have shown for this purpose the tube 2 as being provided with an elastic collar or gasket 16 adapted to fit tightly around the lower end of the faucet. lt will of course be understood that l do Anot limit myself to any particular means for connectingthe tube 2 to the faucet as other connections than those shown might be used. rlhe faucet l5 is of any ordinary form but may be' provided with a branch 17 either extending in front or behind my purifying device so that water may be drawn from the faucet if desired Without being purified.

The wires 3 and 7 are to be connected to any suitable source of electricity such as a dry or wet battery, or any other eurentgenerator.

rlhe operation of the invention is obvious. lffhen no water iiows through the tube 2, no current passes. As soon, however, as water flows through the tube, an electric circuit is established between the wires 7 and 3 and the various terminals 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 which constitute electrodes, and through the water. lt will be obvious that every portion of the water will be subjected to this current inasmuch as the terminals or electrodes are relatively large, and that the water is caused to take a circuitous passage through the tube 2 which will bring all portions of the water in thorough contact with these plates e, 5, 6, 8, 9 and l0. The water is of course filtered as it passes through the ll'ering screen la and thus the water may be used even in the dark without danger of small objects passing through the faucet. lllhen the filter has become clogged, the cap i3 is removed from the end of the casing l2, the screen is reversed and the cap 13 replaced. By reversing the filtering screen, it will be plain that any particles clogging the screen or screens will be washed away and the screens thoroughly cleaned.

llfhile l have illustrated what ll regard as an extremely effective form of my invention and one which has proven entirely practical, yet it do not wish to be limited to this as various modilications might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lt will be particularly noted that even if a very small amount of water is allowed to flow through the duct 2 the water will be brought in contact at least with the terminals 6 and 8 as it will be deflected by the terminal G onto the terminal 8. Furthermoi l. it will be seen that the stepped arrangement of the terminals causes the water to cascade down through the tubular duct Loaaaae and thus being submitted a plurality of times to the action of the electric current.

lll/That l claim is: j.

l. A liquid sterilizer including a non-conducting duct, and an outer casing, a conductor entering the upper end of the duct and having projecting plates disposed at intervals along its length, a conductor entering the duct and extending below the lowermcst terminal of the lirst named conductor and being provided with a series of plates projecting transversely of the duct, said plat-es increasing in area downward and arranged in stepped relation, said conductors being adapted to be connected with a source of electricity, and a non-conducting collar interposed between the lowermost plate of the first named conductor and the uppermost plate of the second named conductor.

2. t liquid sterilizer including a nonconducting duct, a conduct-or entering the duct at the upper end and having at intervals projecting terminal plates of diderent areas and arranged in stepped relation, a conductor also entering the upper end of the duct but extending below the lowermost terminal of the first named conductor and being there provided with a series of terminal plates projecting transversely of the duct, said plates increasing in area downward and arranged in stepped relation, the said conductors being connected to a source of electricity, and a non-conducting collar arranged below the lower plate of the first named conductor and above the uppermost plate of the second named conductor, the second named conductor passing between said collar and the wall of the duct.

3. A liquid sterilizer including a non-conducting duct, a conductor entering the duct at one end and having at intervals projecting plates of different areas arranged in stepped relation, the other conductor being extended below the lowermost terminal of the first named conductor and being there provided with a series of terminals projecting transversely of the duct and having the form of plates increasing in area downward and arranged in stepped relation, the said conductors being connected to a source of electricity. .f

1l. A purifying attachment for faucets including a tubular duct of insulating mate rial, a sleeve of insulating material disposed at the middle of the'duct, a conductor entering the upper end of the duct extending down to said sleeve and provided at intervals with outwardly projecting terminals having the form of plates extending transversely across but not entirely filling the duct, a conductor entering the upper end of the tube extending down the same oppo-I site the first named conductor and below said collar, that portion of the conductor below the coller being provided with .e plurality and carrying1 a filtering screen extending Y of spaced terminals having the form or across the lower end of the tubular duct. l0

plates extending transversely across the here ln testimony whereof l ex my signature of the tube, the conductors being senneote 1n presence of two witnesses.

n circuit with a soure of energy, easing MENTR HOWARD. [LQ 5.] surrounding the said tube and screw vlVitnesses: threaded 'at its lower end, enel e-cap en- MILDRED LITTLE,

gageehle with the lower end of the casing E D. HORGAN. 

